GROUP players dominated the North Coast women’s League Tag side to play Central Coast in the opening round of the Country Championships at Macksville on Saturday, May 5.
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This followed Group 3’s 32-0 shutout of Group 2 in the representative match at Wingham.
Eleven Group 3 players made the 16-strong squad to be coached by Lyn Eason from Tuncurry.
They are Larissa Ward (Port City), Nakita Binge (Port City), Talara Morris (Forster-Tuncurry), Nat Hurrell (Wauchope), Talisa Eason (Old Bar), Lisa Bullivant (Forster-Tuncurry), Brittany McKay (Port City), Jasmine Wilbow (Port City), Brooke Murray (Taree City), Dianne Lawrence (Port City) and Jony Hemmingway (Wingham).
Group 2 representatives are Makayla Hoskins (Sawtell), Gretta Smith (Sawtell), Leyley Holten (Coffs Harbour), Jakaya Hart (Coffs Harbour) and Hannah White (Sawtell).
In truth, the entire Group 3 team wouldn’t have been out of place in the North Coast squad, such was their dominance of Group 2. They looked yards faster and better organised than their northern opponents. The contest was a good as over at halftime when Group 3 led 24-0.
A mistake from the kick-off saw Group 3 mount pressure and a Nikita Binge kick was accepted from Kayla Edwards from Wingham to set the tone. Binge bamboozled the defence in a weaving 40-metre run to post Group 3’s second while Lisa Bullivant, Larissa Ward and Rebecca Eason all added first half tries. Dianne Lawrence kicked to conversions.
Group 2, aided by a string of penalties in the second half, put Group 3’s defence under more pressure, but they were unable to break their duck. They did keep Group 3 to two tries, scored by Jasmine Wilbow and Georgina Williams.
“You have to be pleased with that,’’ coach Eason said at fulltime.
“We started well and our defence was outstanding all game.’’
Eason agreed Group 3 weren’t as strong in the second half.
“I guess having a big lead we got a bit complacent, but it was still a great effort.’’
Eason admitted coaching had its taxing moments as she worked to ensure every player had game time.
“I was trying to make sure that every player got on there and had a fair go,’’ she said.
“But we had good quality players, so we didn’t lose anything when we made replacements.’’
